title: Comparison of ftorafur with 5-fluorouracil in combination chemotherapy of advanced gastrointestinal carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of the study was to compare the combination 5-FU-carmustine with ftorafur-carmustine in the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal cancer. To this end, a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial was initiated. Part I of this trial showed that similar response rates can be obtained with 5-FU-carmustine and ftorafur-carmustine in 109 patients (32.7% versus 26.3%). However, median survival was better in patients treated with 5-FU-carmustine (307 days versus 163 days). Part II of the trial revealed that neither a higher dosage of ftorafur (2 g/m2/day X 5 days) nor the addition of vincristine to both regimens changed the previously obtained results significantly. Again, median survival was found to be better in patients treated with 5-FU combination chemotherapy (304 days versus 144 days). Both the 5-FU and the ftorafur combination were tolerated reasonably well. The results suggest that combination chemotherapy including 5-FU is superior to ftorafur at the applied dosages in terms of survival.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002330:Carmustine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D005641:Tegafur / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005641:Tegafur; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002330:Carmustine